McLaughlin Back on Top, Bargwanna Maintains Lead over Ross

Another weekend of tough V8
powered racing ended with an exciting 20 lapper this
afternoon at Taupo Motorsport Park where NZV8 Touring Car
TLX driver Jason Bargwanna edged a little further ahead of
main rival Nick Ross and James McLaughlin reclaimed his lead
in the NZV8 TL Championship.

The competition was once
again close in both categories with Ross taking the first
win on Saturdayafter contact from Bargwanna saw the
Australian slapped with a drive through penalty leaving Ross
an unchallenged run to the flag.

It was Bargwanna's turn
today however where he won the first race of the day
repairing the damage done by Ross to his championship lead
yesterday.

In the third race Ross bolted away from the
standing start while Bargwanna did not get a good getaway.
While trying to make up ground there was contact between
himself and Shaun Varney which saw the two cars off the
circuit and a safety car called when Varney's Ford was
unable to drive away.

After the safety car was called in
Bargwanna cut his way through the field of TL cars and
stayed out as long as possible before entering for his
compulsory pitstop.

With Ross pitting earlier and then
encountering traffic Bargwanna was able to get in front of
the Cambridge driver and go on to take the win and extend
his lead in the championship by another eight points to 69
over Ross.

In the TL class it was Bronson Porter who drew
first blood yesterday with his first win of the season. A
fourth place this morning was later contrasted with a
puncture in the afternoon race forcing him to reitre in the
closing laps of the race but he was still able to pick up
third overall for the weekend.

A third place for Barry
Holden yesterday was not good enough for the Hamilton driver
so he went out this morning to claim second place and then
followed that up with yet another second in the afternoon to
claim second overall for the weekend.

Lower Hutt's James
McLaughlin had been strong all weekend and after losing the
lead and eventually the race to Porter yesterday he came
back strong this morning with a third place topping that
with a clear race win in the afternoon and his first since
Timaru in January.

The strong weekend gave McLaughlin the
round win and enabled him to slide in front of his main
rival Ian Booth who is now back in second place on the
point's table with 798 to McLaughlins 809.

With just one
round remaining at Pukekohe Park Raceway next month the
tension is heating up.

But with four races at the meeting
the drivers can take full advantage of the extra race having
a potential 300 points up for grabs there.

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